looking for a few good ideas

Categories:

Closing

Mon, 19 March 2001 10:20

We were taking as much luggage as we could, because this was a time when anything we could take to Las Vegas and leave at the new house seemed like a good idea. We knew we'd be at the house setting things up and installing things, so we took a telephone, a network hub, a network firewall/router, and lots of cat food all packed into a big black suitcase. Our clothes were packed into another bag.

The cats did not appreciate being pushed into their matching black carry cases, and then lugged to the airport on a door-to-door-shuttle van. We thought it would be easier for them (and us) if we couId be dropped at the terminal rather than finding long-term parking for the car; catching a shuttle bus, and then crossing the road from the bus stop to the terminal. As it turned out, we might all have been less car sick than we were after riding in the back of the door-to-door shuttle. The shuttle driver had two other stops to make and they all seemed to be at the top of a hill at the end of a windy road.

We did eventually get to the airport - it just took longer and involved more rolling around. Kami yelled the entire way, but Karma was very well behaved and so quiet that I thought there was something wrong with him.

When we got to the airport, we tried to give the cats some water using the bottom quarter of a paper cup (cut down with our trusty penknife) but they were both too upset to drink, even though they must have been thirsty.

Travel Tip #322:

Never, ever, try to walk through a airport security
checkpoint with two cats and two laptops.

For a start, the cats were in their carry-on travel units, and the airport security made us take the cats out of the bag - and put the bags through the xray machine. So we were holding a cat each - I had Karma, and he was so well behaved, it was uncanny, he just went limp like a ragdoll - and I was holding him with my right arm, and I couldn't get my wallet and keys out of my right back pocket with my left hand. Meanwhile, my laptop and cat bag were going further out of my sight on the conveyor belt. Argh.

Lisa had a worse time, because in addition to holding Kami, the security droids demanded that she take her laptop out and switch it on!

We'd never flown America West before, but I can report that there is plenty of room under the seat in front for the largish cat-carry-ons.

We were late departing the ground, and the reason according to the pilot, is this: "OK, we've discovered a leak. There's some oil or something leaking from a place it isn't supposed to, we're not sure exactly what it is or where it's coming from. There's some duct tape that seems to have come loose, so we have to check this out before we take off." At this, the guy sitting to Lisa's right actually got up, took his carry on baggage, and left the plane! Perhaps he was superstitious. About 15 minutes later, the pilot reported, "Well, you'll be happy to know we've got that leak all taped up again, and we're ready to go."

Karma did NOT like the take off or the landing. He yelled a lot and thrashed around. All I can say is, I'm glad he was in the cabin with us this time instead of on his own in the luggage compartment.

Stan met us at the gate and after an anxious wait for our bags to come off the carousel, we drive to the VIP Kennel where Kami and Karma were booked in.

VIP is no Cat's Cradle, but it was convenient and not too horrible. Karma has stayed in worse places. We spent some time with the nice young man who would be looking after them, and he was very concientious and keen to understand their needs: Kami = diet food, Karma = urinary health formula. Karma can eat as much as he likes, Kami should not be overfed, etc.

We promised to visit when we could, and then drove over to Summerlin where we would be staying with Stan and Jeanne - for the last time!